Newly promoted Alton Police Sgt. Mark Conrad gives a fatherly look to his son, right, Tuesday as his wife, Kara, center, pins his new badge on in a promotion ceremony held at the Alton Law Enforcement Center. Alton Police Chief Jason “Jake” Simmons spoke briefly about the backgrounds and qualifications of the two officers promoted.

Newly promoted Alton Police Sgt. Mark Conrad gives a fatherly look to his son, right, Tuesday as his wife, Kara, center, pins his new badge on in a promotion ceremony held at the Alton Law Enforcement Center.

Newly promoted Alton Police Sgt. Mark Conrad gives a fatherly look to his son, right, Tuesday as his wife, Kara, center, pins his new badge on in a promotion ceremony held at the Alton Law Enforcement Center. Alton Police Chief Jason “Jake” Simmons spoke briefly about the backgrounds and qualifications of the two officers promoted.

Newly promoted Alton Police Sgt. Mark Conrad gives a fatherly look to his son, right, Tuesday as his wife, Kara, center, pins his new badge on in a promotion ceremony held at the Alton Law Enforcement Center.

ALTON — Last week’s retirement of a 22-year Alton police veteran made way for two officers’ promotions to lieutenant and sergeant during a Tuesday afternoon ceremony.

“It’s always a pleasure promoting two well-deserving people in the Police Department,” said Chief Jason “Jake” Simmons of the Alton Police Department.

Pete Vambaketes moved from sergeant to lieutenant; and Mark Conrad was promoted to that newly vacated sergeant position, the moves prompted by the Aug. 31 retirement of Lt. Gary Cranmer.

Family members, APD staff and Cranmer attended the event in the satellite courtroom in the Donald E. Sandidge Alton Law Enforcement Center, 1700 E. Broadway.

Vambaketes’ mother Cheryl pinned the lieutenant bars that Cranmer had worn until last Friday onto her son’s uniform. Vambaketes has been with APD since March 1999.

“Before that, he was on active duty from 1992 to 1996 as a highly decorated (U.S.) Marine,” Simmons said. Vambaketes trained three new officers, then worked in the Investigations Bureau from 2005-11.

“He was a member of the Major Case Squad of Greater St. Louis, where he investigated more than a dozen murders,” Simmons said. “He is a man with an abundance of honesty and integrity. He always finds a way for officers and detectives to laugh during difficult times.”

With Vambaketes a lieutenant, his sergeant stripes went to Conrad. Wife Kara Conrad pinned the stripes onto her husband’s uniform and gave him a kiss.

“He trained nine police officers, I always tried to get him to do some of the eight-week training,” Simmons said of Conrad. “He has a positive attitude, he knows the value of hard work.”

Simmons said Conrad, who joined APD in June 2007, is a certified sniper, was on the former APD Tactical Response Team and remains a member of the multi-agency, Illinois Law Enforcement Alarm System.

Simmons praised Conrad for discovering a holdup note from a man who robbed the U.S. Bank, 1520 Washington Ave. The fingerprints on the note led investigators to identifying the suspect.

Cranmer had been chief of detectives since last spring, after predecessor Lt. Jarrett Ford requested to return to shift work in order to spend more time with his toddler son. Upon Cranmer’s retirement, Simmons on Tuesday moved Ford back to that position to oversee the Investigations Bureau.

Another change Simmons made is placing Sgt. Jeremiah Dressler in charge of training. Lt. Seth Stinnett remains the administrative assistant in charge of Alton City Jail and the Traffic Division, while Sgt. Joel Bromaghim still is the traffic supervisor.

Cranmer’s time working for the city of Alton continues, though.

Although Cranmer’s position as director of the city’s new Department of Code Enforcement will not become official until aldermen OK the appointment Sept. 12, he began his new job on Tuesday. Pfc. Vince Warlick, while remaining a police officer, also began working Tuesday under Cranmer in enforcing the city’s property codes.

Officials formed the Department of Code Enforcement by splitting off those duties from the Alton Department of Development and Housing, with aldermen approving the change on Aug. 22.

Both Cranmer and Ford were promoted to lieutenants in January 2017, with Ford then becoming chief of detectives. Ford was hired at APD on Jan. 31, 2005 and became a sergeant in 2013.